Reduce your risk of dementia right now with 15 easy lifestyle changes

Dementia – a broad term for a group of conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia – is sadly on the rise. This heartbreaking affliction causes decline in memory, thinking, and behavioural abilities, significantly affecting daily life, and many of us will be all too aware of it, perhaps through observing the diminishing health of own grandparents and parents.

The NHS estimates that 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK has dementia – in total, just over 944,000 people. Unfortunately, as lifestyles and medical care improve and the population lives longer, we are seeing increasing cases of dementia – it’s estimated that by 2030, the number of people with the condition in the UK will be more than 1 million.

Author of new book, Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure, Patrick Holford, Chair of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Expert Group and founder of the charity Food for the Brain, suggests that Alzheimer’s in particular is largely the result of lifestyle, dietary and environmental factors.

According to Holford, cognitive decline is the outcome of a “perfect storm” of negative influences that impair the brain’s structure, function or energy supply. “Every known risk factor affects one or more of these areas, and it’s the combination – many of which we can control – that leads to cognitive decline,” he says.

Holford notes that signs of decline are being detected from as early as age 18, with most people experiencing noticeable impairment by their 70s or 80s. However, he insists that decline can be halted – and even reversed – through the right nutrition and lifestyle adjustments. With his guidance and advice from other medical practitioners, brain experts and pharmacists we have pulled together the latest advice for combatting the signs of dementia.

Miami-based health expert, physician and medical journalist Dr. Naheed Ali says: “Choose two of the following practices to begin this week and schedule them as firmly as medical appointments. Track how you feel in a simple journal. Add another practice every month until all are part of daily life. You’ll be giving the brain multiple layers of defense against dementia.”

1. Do a crossword

Superintendent Pharmacist at Pharmica (pharmica.co.uk), Ana Carolina Goncalves says, “Dementia refers to a loss of cognitive functioning like memory or logical reasoning – so I’d recommend activities that ‘train the brain’ in a way that protects and enhances its ability to form neural connections and maintain them through life. Educational activities like crosswords, memory games and sudoku can keep us mentally engaged and build synaptic networks that are linked to reduced dementia risk.”

2. Get a good night’s sleep

Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a neurophysiologist and sleep expert has dedicated the last 25 years of her career to help people achieve restorative sleep, including those facing dementia. "Studies have drawn links between dementia and a lack of sleep,” she explains.

“Researchers at the University of Paris found a 30% higher risk of dementia among those who regularly have six hours of sleep or less throughout their 50s, 60s and 70s. Among other health benefits, sleep is incredibly important for memory consolidation, so not getting enough can cause memory loss, poor decision-making, reasoning and problem-solving skills, along with reduced reaction time and alertness. While we're yet to see evidence that a lack of sleep causes dementia, we know that sleep is a factor that can contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases.”

Dr Ali advises on getting seven to eight hours of consistent, uninterrupted sleep a night. “Deep slow-wave cycles clear metabolic waste, and rapid eye movement cycles file new information into long-term storage. Support both phases by keeping the bedroom dark, cool, and free of screens. Finish the last meal at least three hours before bedtime, and reserve caffeine for before noon.”

3. Play an instrument

Train that brain through music. “Playing a musical instrument has been proven to help achieve higher neuroplasticity,” says Gonclaves. Dr Ramlakhan adds, “Research suggests that listening to music and singing can significantly improve sleep quality as well as increasing daytime alertness.” And better sleep means a higher protection against problems developing with the brain.

4. Learn a language

Brain injury expert Natalie Mackenzie of thebraininjurytherapist.co.uk says, "Learning something new is the best possible thing you can do for your brain and learning a language later in life can help with cognitive decline. Several studies show this significantly improves our cognition function – and learning a language is like a super workout for your brain!"

5. Get your greens

We all know greens are good for us but do you know why? Gonclaves says, “The often-cited food groups for brain health include dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach, because they contain antioxidants that alleviate inflammation in the brain and promote improved focus and mood.”

6. Have a fish supper (and some vitamin D)

Holford calls “the four horsemen of the brain health apocalypse” insufficient intake of omega-3 fats, B vitamins, antioxidants, and overconsumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates. He writes that increasing omega-3 through fish or supplements can cut dementia risk by 20%, as can optimising vitamin D levels.

Supplementing with vitamin D alone has been associated with a one-third reduction in risk. He cites work that shows that most people fall below the recommended omega-3 index of 8%, with those under 5% at significantly greater risk of dementia and brain shrinkage. Apparently, one in five of us achieve the government’s recommendation to eat oily fish once a week, which is insufficient to prevent dementia.

“I recommend fatty fish like mackerel, sardines (although not in high quantities as they contain trace amounts of arsenic), and salmon – their omega-3 fatty acids combat oxidative stress, which is associated with dementia risk,” adds Gonclaves. “Avoid highly processed foods like salami or shop-bought ham slices, as their trans fats cause systemic inflammation.”

7. Take a B vitamin supplement

Holford, author of Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure by Patrick Holford, says one of the most crucial – and often overlooked – risk factors for dementia is elevated homocysteine, a harmful amino acid in the blood linked to low levels of B vitamins.

Research from the Netherlands supports the connection, showing that people with low levels of omega-3, B vitamins, and vitamin D have over four times the risk of developing dementia.

A recent analysis by Dr Apostolos Tsiachristas, Associate Professor in Health Economics at Oxford, found that reducing homocysteine through inexpensive B vitamin supplementation could extend life expectancy by an estimated 14 years.

8. Cut out sugar and processed food

Holford writes that reducing sugar and processed food intake can lower Alzheimer’s risk by 20%, while increasing antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and vitamin C intake also offers protection. One study involving 2,716 over-60s found that those with the highest antioxidant intake had half the risk of cognitive decline.

9. Go for a run (or a walk)

Dr Ali says, “Thirty minutes of brisk walking, five days a week, supports blood flow to the brain and stimulates growth factors that protect memory circuits. A randomised trial in older adults even showed that such aerobic exercise grew the hippocampus, the region that processes new memories, by about two percent in a single year. That structural gain offset roughly two years of typical age-related shrinkage. You can read more here: https://bachlab.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/Erickson2011.pdf”

Gonclaves adds, “Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that helps regulate neuron growth in the brain, is strongly impacted by exercise. Regular exercise that raises the heart rate, and resistance training with bands or weights, can improve levels of BDNF and promote the formation of new neural connections and pathways.”

10. Lift some weights

Dr Ali says, “Lifting moderate weights or using resistance bands twice a week prompts the release of myokines... hormone-like proteins that travel from muscle to brain and reduce inflammation. Choose eight to ten movements that cover legs, back, chest, and core. Perform each for two sets of ten slow repetitions. The routine should leave the muscles warmly fatigued but not strained.”

11. Cut back on smoking and drinking 

It’s often cited as one of the best things you can do for your health for good reason, and cutting out cigarettes is proven to be beneficial for your brain health. Gonclaves says, “Drinking and smoking are risk factors I would flag, due to the variety of scientific evidence suggesting that alcohol and nicotine consumption increase the risk of neurological damage and cognitive impairment over an extended period. Even slightly cutting back on these activities can make a difference to your risk of developing dementia later in life.”

12. Supplement solo exercise with a group activity

Mackenzie says, “Research has shown exercise benefits your brain - movement specifically helps aid skills like remembering things and how quickly we process and make decisions. Research shows that regular exercise reduces your chances of getting dementia – but doing it in groups gives a double brain boost, as we know that social isolation plays a massive part in dementia risk. So why not join a running club or a group exercise class. Being around others engages lots of key cognitive areas."

13. Find your rhythm

Dr Ali says, “Activities that blend movement with timing, such as drumming, salsa dancing, or tai chi, challenge the motor cortex, cerebellum, and frontal lobes simultaneously. Practice for forty-five minutes, three times a week, and focus on mastering new patterns rather than repeating old ones. The coordination demands encourage neuroplasticity and strengthen attention networks that often falter early in dementia.”

14. Get your hearing checked

Dr Ali says, “Untreated hearing loss increases the cognitive load on the brain and accelerates atrophy in auditory and memory areas. Schedule a baseline hearing check at age 50 or sooner if you notice frequent requests for repeats. If mild loss appears, start using properly fitted hearing aids during all waking hours. Clear sound keeps neural networks engaged and lessens the risk of social withdrawal.”

15. Breathe!

Dr Ali says, “Chronic stress releases cortisol that can erode the hippocampus. Counter this with the 4-4-6 breath pattern: inhale through the nose for four counts, hold for four, and exhale gently for six. Repeat for five minutes, twice a day, or whenever tension rises. The prolonged exhale activates the vagus nerve and lowers cortisol, protecting memory cells over time.”

Food For The Brain has a free cognition test where you can identify your areas of risk at foodforthebrain.org.

Don't ignore this prehistoric instinct

Your body is trying to tell you something, and here's why you should listen to it.